Every time she sat down, she wanted to sleep. The last thing she cared about were isosceles triangles, so she climbed into bed. She would at least be only a year ahead of Alex if she was held back.
She closed her eyes, but instead of sleep all she could see was Alex's hurt expression when they were arguing. He knew she was hiding something.
Obviously she'd have to tell him about her doctor's appointment. More than that, about their baby growing inside of her, making her so tired. It didn't even feel real—how could she have a baby in her stomach?
Aside from being exhausted, she didn't feel any different. Did she look different? Zoey got up and stood in front of the mirror. She had bags under her dark brown eyes, but otherwise looked exactly the same.
She pulled off her shirt and examined her stomach. It was still flat…but for how long?
One thing she knew was that she wasn't getting an abortion. Over the summer, she had taken her friend Tara to get one and it almost killed her. Tara had begged Zoey to go with. She hadn't told anyone else, including the guy. They lied so Zoey could be in there during the operation and said that they were sisters, even though it was pretty obvious they weren't. Tara had bright red hair and Zoey was half-Japanese, thanks to her absent dad.
Everything had been going well with the procedure, as they kept calling it. Then Tara's face lost all of its color and her eyes looked cloudy. Zoey had been sure that Tara was going to die in front of her.
The nurses shoved Zoey out of the room. She was left to worry in the waiting for what felt like an eternity. She hadn't been able to get the look in Tara's eyes out of her mind. Every time someone came into the waiting room, she expected them to tell her that Tara hadn't made it.
Tara ended up being sent to the emergency room at the hospital. Zoey had to take the bus home alone, worried about Tara. She had to act normal when she got home, but it had taken months for the image of Tara to stop haunting her dreams. In fact, it was Macy's disappearance that distracted her.
She hadn't even been able to talk with Tara after the ordeal. Her family moved before school started and all of her social media accounts had been deactivated. Tara's parents had probably figured out what happened and freaked out, moving her away from all the bad influences. Like there wouldn't be other kids just like their group of friends wherever they moved.
Zoey's mom walked in, bringing her back to the present.
"What are you doing? Oh, Zoey, you've lost weight. You better take those vitamins the doctor gave you. I don't want to see you waste away, dear."
She almost laughed. Losing weight was the least of her concerns. "I'll be fine. I just haven't been hungry lately." She put her shirt back on.
"Are you hungry? The Mercers invited us over for dinner. Alyssa said they have enough to feed ten people."
Could she face Alex's family? Zoey could barely even look Alex in the eye, how would she face Chad and Alyssa? They would probably hate her when she had to come clean. The news people watched every little thing they did. Sometimes there was even a van out in front of their house, recording. She might destroy their reputation.
There had been a few times that Alex hadn't been able to sneak out to see her because of the stupid van. The last thing they needed was for his sneaking out to be broadcast to a popular online page.
"Zoey? Are you listening?"
"Sorry." Zoey shook her head, trying to clear it. "Yeah, let's eat at their house."
"Maybe that'll pull you out of your funk. Why don't you brush your hair?"
"Whatever."
Before long, they were over at the Mercer's eating from a huge spread. Dishes were piled high with food across the table and there was even more on the counters. A large pork roast sat in the middle of the table surrounded by mashed potatoes, a green bean casserole, fruit salad, a pasta dish, and even more.
"Is this supposed to last all week?" Zoey
She closed her eyes, but instead of sleep all she could see was Alex's hurt expression when they were arguing. He knew she was hiding something.
Obviously she'd have to tell him about her doctor's appointment. More than that, about their baby growing inside of her, making her so tired. It didn't even feel real—how could she have a baby in her stomach?
Aside from being exhausted, she didn't feel any different. Did she look different? Zoey got up and stood in front of the mirror. She had bags under her dark brown eyes, but otherwise looked exactly the same.
She pulled off her shirt and examined her stomach. It was still flat…but for how long?
One thing she knew was that she wasn't getting an abortion. Over the summer, she had taken her friend Tara to get one and it almost killed her. Tara had begged Zoey to go with. She hadn't told anyone else, including the guy. They lied so Zoey could be in there during the operation and said that they were sisters, even though it was pretty obvious they weren't. Tara had bright red hair and Zoey was half-Japanese, thanks to her absent dad.
Everything had been going well with the procedure, as they kept calling it. Then Tara's face lost all of its color and her eyes looked cloudy. Zoey had been sure that Tara was going to die in front of her.
The nurses shoved Zoey out of the room. She was left to worry in the waiting for what felt like an eternity. She hadn't been able to get the look in Tara's eyes out of her mind. Every time someone came into the waiting room, she expected them to tell her that Tara hadn't made it.
Tara ended up being sent to the emergency room at the hospital. Zoey had to take the bus home alone, worried about Tara. She had to act normal when she got home, but it had taken months for the image of Tara to stop haunting her dreams. In fact, it was Macy's disappearance that distracted her.
She hadn't even been able to talk with Tara after the ordeal. Her family moved before school started and all of her social media accounts had been deactivated. Tara's parents had probably figured out what happened and freaked out, moving her away from all the bad influences. Like there wouldn't be other kids just like their group of friends wherever they moved.
Zoey's mom walked in, bringing her back to the present.
"What are you doing? Oh, Zoey, you've lost weight. You better take those vitamins the doctor gave you. I don't want to see you waste away, dear."
She almost laughed. Losing weight was the least of her concerns. "I'll be fine. I just haven't been hungry lately." She put her shirt back on.
"Are you hungry? The Mercers invited us over for dinner. Alyssa said they have enough to feed ten people."
Could she face Alex's family? Zoey could barely even look Alex in the eye, how would she face Chad and Alyssa? They would probably hate her when she had to come clean. The news people watched every little thing they did. Sometimes there was even a van out in front of their house, recording. She might destroy their reputation.
There had been a few times that Alex hadn't been able to sneak out to see her because of the stupid van. The last thing they needed was for his sneaking out to be broadcast to a popular online page.
"Zoey? Are you listening?"
"Sorry." Zoey shook her head, trying to clear it. "Yeah, let's eat at their house."
"Maybe that'll pull you out of your funk. Why don't you brush your hair?"
"Whatever."
Before long, they were over at the Mercer's eating from a huge spread. Dishes were piled high with food across the table and there was even more on the counters. A large pork roast sat in the middle of the table surrounded by mashed potatoes, a green bean casserole, fruit salad, a pasta dish, and even more.
"Is this supposed to last all week?" Zoey
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